The Orcish Wars
by JustinAsselstine
Summary: The first adventure of the EverQuest paladin, Gawyn Trakand.
1. The Battle Begins

The Orcish Wars  
By   
Justin Asselstine aka Gawyn Trakand  
  
The character Gawyn Trakand is copyright of Robert Jordan, creator of The Wheel of Time. Places used in this belong to Verant Interactive.  
  
Gawyn climbed up onto his horse, Menlynus and looked around him. Seated beside him on their own horses were five of Gawyn's best friends. The wizards Rarananla and Ozerin, the ranger Phawn, the powerful enchanter Xarion ta'Lux and Gawyn's sister, the druid Elayne.  
The night before a band of orcs had attacked a caravan leaving the city of Freeport. Gawyn's friend, mentor and guild leader Myrik Jucitiar had asked Gawyn to choose six people to accompany him on an attack on the orcish band. Now the group of adventurers were traveling through the Eastern Commonlands following the group of orcs.   
Phawn swung down her horse and checked the ground.   
"They passed through here. About 30 to 40 orcs. These tracks are fresh. We should catch up with them by nightfall, Phawn said as she climbed back onto her horse.  
"Ok, let's go," Gawyn ordered, and the group continued on.  
It was a couple hours into night when the adventurers first caught sight of fires and tents. They hopped off their horses and let the horses run loose. The horses were well trained and they would stay near in case a quick escape was needed.   
"Xarion, make me invisible so I can go check out the camp," Gawyn said.  
Xarion closed his eyes and began to speak. Suddenly Gawyn disappeared.   
"I'll be right back," Gawyn whispered as he began to sneak forward.  
Gawyn slowly made his way towards the camp. When he was about 20 feet away he began to hear voices. He stopped and looked around. Walking together just outside the camp were two orcs.  
"Must be sentries," Gawyn thought to himself as he quietly made his way back to his group.   
When he got back to the group he began to concentrate. After a couple of seconds he reappeared. He then told his friends what he had seen. Without saying anything Xarion began to walk towards the camp.   
"What are you doing," Elayne whispered as he walked away.  
"Follow me and watch," Xarion replied without stopping.   
Xarion walked straight out into the opening. The orcs turned towards him. They stood and stared at the high elf. With the wave of a hand and a mumbled word Xarion cast a powerful spell. The orcs dropped to their knees grabbing at their throats. They tried to cry out a warning, but they couldn't make a sound. Eventually the orcs stopped moving. Gawyn and Ozerin dragged the corpses into the bushes and covered them with leaves.  
The group of adventurers snuck around the perimeter of the camp killing sentries with magic or with precise shots from the bows of Phawn and Gawyn. Finally with the path clear they began to move into the camp. Hiding in the shadows they made their way into the camp. As they moved Gawyn began to formulate a plan.   
"If we can kill the leader these orcs will be disorganized and they won't know what to do. Then we can pick them off one at a time," Gawyn thought to himself.  
Gawyn pulled his group back into an empty tent and told them his plan. They agreed that it was the best way to proceed. They decided that Xarion would cast an illusion over himself so that he appeared as an orc and he would proceed to kill the leader in his tent. Xarion was about to leave the tent when an orc came walking into the tent. Before anyone could silence him he screamed out an alarm. That was the last sound he made as a bolt of frost flew from Ozerin hand and froze the orc into a solid block of ice.  
Realizing that they would have to fight there way out Gawyn and his friends pulled out their weapons and charged out of the tent. Light flashed as the orc shamans cast spells at Gawyn and his group.   
"Oz, Rara, Xarion take out the shamans. Phawn,Elayne and I can take the normal troops," Gawyn shouted hoping his friends could still hear him.   
Gawyn ducked under a blade and brought his sword up straight into the stomach of an orc. He looked to his right and saw that Phawn and his sister were fighting a losing battle against five orc centurians. Calling on the powers given to him by Mithaniel Marr and Rodcet Nife, Gawyn called a globe of darkness down on the nearest centurians head and charged into the fray. Swinging his sword, Gawyn decapitated one of the orcs just as Phawn stabbed her sword into another. Elayne cast a spell setting one of the remaining orcs on fire. Standing back to back with Phawn, Gawyn swung his sword again, this time severing an orcs hand at the wrist. Suddenly Phawn wasn't behind him anymore. Gawyn spun around just in time to see something plunge it's sword into Phawn.   
"No!!!!," Gawyn screamed as he ran towards the creature.   
The creature was bigger than an orc, but looked much like one. Except for one thing. It had the ears and skin of a drow.   
Gawyn swung at the thing, but it deflected his blow and grabbed him by the neck. It easily hoisted Gawyn in the air.  
"Stop!," it shouted. "Or I will kill this human."  
Gawyn's friends lowered their weapons and stopped casting spells. Except for Xarion who waved his hand and muttered something.  
"Your pitiful spells can't hurt me elf. My name is Darken Stormbringer and now you are my prisoners.  
"Not if we can help it," said a voice behind Gawyn.  
Suddenly 20 arrows thudded into the orcs guarding Gawyn's friends. Gawyn took advantage of Darken's momentary distraction by smashing his elbow into Darken's nose. Blood gushed down Darken's face and he dropped Gawyn as he spun around to meet the unseen challenge.   
There in front of him stood Myrik and the rest of the Lordknights. Kanyen, Kaylar, Woodcox, Dzax and others stood beside Myrik ready to fight.  
Darken was so absorbed in the new arrivals that he forgot about Gawyn and that was his big mistake. Grabbing his sword off the ground Gawyn stabbed into the back of Darken. The orc walked forward a few steps before falling to the ground dead.   
Gawyn suddenly remembered Phawn. Gawyn ran over to her body and felt her neck. There was a small pulse.  
"Rodcet Nife give me the power to heal this fallen body," Gawyn said as he called on his holy power.  
Blue flame appeared over Gawyn's hands as he touched them to Phawn's chest. The fire grew until it enveloped Phawn's whole body. Then the flame disappeared. Gawyn fell to the ground exhausted. Then Phawn sat up.  
"What happened," she asked.   
Seeing Phawn safe, Gawyn let the dark take over as he slipped into unconsciousness. Gawyn woke up an hour later feeling better. He walked over to Myrik.   
"Thanks for coming to the rescue Lord Myrik," he said as he took a seat beside him.  
"Gawyn you knew me before I created the Lordknights. It's just Myrik to you."  
Gawyn and Myrik talked for a while and then Phawn came over. She walked over to Gawyn and kissed him on the lips. Gawyn blushed.  
"That's for saving me," she said and then she walked away.  
Gawyn looked over at Myrik who was smiling  
"Shut up Myrik," Gawyn said although he too was beginning to smile.  
"Get the troops together. I need to talk them," Myrik said.  
Ten minutes later the Lordknights and Gawyn's friends stood in front of Myrik.  
"Men, we won this battle, but we have many left to go. This is far from over."  
As Myrik looked out towards the far off orcish capital of Crushbone, Gawyn heard Myrik mutter "Far from over."   
  



	2. Lordknights Strike Back

The Orcish Wars Part 2  
By  
Justin Asselstine aka Gawyn   
  
The character Gawyn Trakand is copyright of Robert Jordan, creator of The Wheel of Time. Places used in this belong to Verant Interactive.  
  
Gawyn ducked as a ball of flame flew over his head and engulfed an orc.  
"Jeez Dzax, watch it," Gawyn said as he swung his sword at another of the orcs.   
"Sorry about that," the high elf replied as he threw another ball of flame at the orcs.   
Another orc was downed by Gawyn's blade, but the orcs just kept coming. For every orc that the Lordknights had killed five more had replaced it. The battle had been going on for nearly a half an hour and the Lordknights were beginning to tire.  
Another orc found itself impaled on Gawyn's blade. Gawyn tried to withdraw his blade, but it was lodged in the orcs abdomen. Another orc seeing Gawyn's predicament turned towards him brandishing it's wicked looking scimitar. It raised its sword as it prepared to kill Gawyn, but it never got the chance. There was a flash of silver and the orcs head fell to the ground. Gawyn shoved the orc's decapitated body out of the way and behind it was Gawyn's good friend Phawn.   
Phawn was a beautiful wood elf ranger. They had met when Gawyn had helped her defeat a man eating giant spider had attacked her on the way to Qeynos. Gawyn had helped her dispatch the evil creature and the two had become great friends. Now she had joined the Lordknights fight against the evil orcs of Crushbone.  
"Now we're even," Phawn said with a smile as she walked past Gawyn towards where Myrik, Kaylar, Stepwolf and the rest of the Lordknights were still battling the last of the orcs.   
When Gawyn, Phawn and Dzax rejoined the battle the orcs quickly realized the were outnumbered and began to flee.  
"Let them go. Our mission here is accomplished," Myrik shouted to the rest of his team.   
The Lordknights quickly went about there usually duties of searching the orc base for supplies and other things that could be used in their ongoing war. This was becoming a normal routine. In the two weeks since Gawyn's first successful attack on an orc band that had attacked a Freeport caravan Myrik had led the Lordknights across Antonica attacking orc bands, camps and bases. Once they had ridden Antonica of the orcish threat they would head to Fawyder to attack Crushbone.  
After an hour of searching for supplies Myrik called a meeting to discuss their future plans.  
"We did a great job today and now we have a base to launch our future operations from. I have some good news and bad news. The bad news first. We have learned that an orcish army numbering about three hundred is on it's way from Crushbone here. It will arrive in about two days. The good news is it was going to launch it's attack from here and does not know that we hold this base. We can set an ambush for it. Even if the ambush is successful we will still have many orcs to deal with. I want every to spend the night resting and tomorrow we begin setting up the ambush. Have a good sleep we have a big battle ahead of us."  
As everyone began going to rooms to sleep, Gawyn stopped Phawn.  
"Earlier when you saved me from that orc you said we were even, but I'm pretty sure I still owe you something if memory serves."  
"What?" Phawn asked.  
Gawyn grabbed her and kissed her on the lips.  
"That", Gawyn replied as he walked away.  
Phawn stood there stunned for a minute before she gathered her senses and went to her room, but anyone walking by her could see that she was smiling.  
  
The next morning as the sun began it's slow ascent into the sky, the captured orcish base was already abustle with people setting traps.   
Gawyn was checking the tripwire he had just set when Myrik walked over.  
"Hello Gawyn. I need to ask a favour of you."  
"Sure, Myrik. What do you need," Gawyn replied.  
" I want to have two battle groups fighting separately. I'm gonna lead one of them and because of the great job you did attacking that orc band, I want you to lead the other one."  
"Ok, but only on one condition," Gawyn answered.  
"Sure, anything."  
"I want Phawn as my second in command. No two people we have work better together than the two of us."  
"I know. I was going to suggest that anyway. Well, if you have no more questions than I have to go help Woodcox with the catapult we set up," Myrik said as he turned to go.  
"Mithaniel Marr protect you, Myrik," Gawyn said as Myrik walked away. "May he protect us all."  
  
The rest of the day went by quickly and soon the Lordknights were ready to make their stand and hopefully destroy the orc army. As the sun sank beneath the mountains, Myrik's scouts returned bearing news. The orcish army would arrive shortly after dawn the next day. After positions were assigned the Lordknights went to sleep awaiting the battle to come.  
  
As the morning came the Lordknights went to their assigned position. It was up to Gawyn's group to wait until the orcs started into the traps then to attack any orcs that made it through. Myrik's group would fire of the catapults then they too would come out to join the battle. Myrik expected the traps to take out at least one and a half hundred orcs and hopefully more. Even if it did take out more than expected the orcs would still greatly outnumber the Lordknight's forty members.  
Gawyn stood behind the huge gate as he waited for the command to attack. Suddenly there was the sound of orcs screaming as they blundered into the traps. As wires were tripped arrows flew from hidden crossbows. A patch of grass gave way as a group of Orcs fell into a pit.   
There was carnage all over and then, with a cry to Mithaniel Marr and Rodcet Nife, Gawyn led his group in a charge through the gates at a group of orcs, who had made it past the traps. Swords flashed as Gawyn's group smashed into the orcs. Gawyn decapitated one orc, as Phawn slashed into another. There were orc corpses littering the ground, but still Gawyn kept hacking and slashing. Finally the last of the group of orcs fell to the ground lifeless.  
Gawyn and the other paladins in his group used their innate magical abilities to heal their wounded. Once the wounded were alright Gawyn led his group out into the surrounding forest to look for more orcs.  
The orc had just snuck around the pit when an arrow blasted into his chest sending him flying into the hole. Phawn dropped down from the tree she had been hiding in and continued on.  
By this time the remaining orcs had figured out what was going on and were beginning to make plans. Several groups of orcs each made their way carefully towards the base looking every where for possible traps. Little did they know that all the traps had already been sprung. All that stood between the orcs and the base was Gawyn's group.  
Gawyn slowly walked around a tree in the path. Suddenly he bumped into something. Looking up he saw that is was an orc. The orc began screaming in it's language. Gawyn knew enough orcish to determine that the orc was calling for it's friends to come help him, and Gawyn could now hear the sound of orcs running towards him.   
"Lordknights to me," Gawyn shouted and the rest of his group ran to join him.   
A couple of seconds later a group of thirty orcs and Gawyn's group of twenty Lordknights stood face to face.  
"Lordknights, charge!" Gawyn yelled as he conjured a globe of darkness over some of the nearest orcs heads.  
The Lordknights ran into the globes of darkness. Having trained in fighting in the dark the Lordknights had a huge advantage and after only seconds the sounds of battle faded. The globe of darkness faded and Gawyn looked around. The corpses of thirty orcs littered the ground.   
Suddenly there was a sound in the trees to the left of Gawyn. He quickly drew his sword and spun, but was relieved to see it was only his friend Kaene.  
Kaene Talonreaver was the only drow to ever join the Lordknights. He had become disgusted with his dark kin's ways and had left Neriak. He had met Gawyn and after almost attacking each other the two had become friends.  
"Gawyn, we need your help," Kaene said quickly. " A large group of orcs has stormed the base and Myrik needs your group to return."  
"Alright, let's go," Gawyn replied.  
The group of Lordknights started back towards the base. Gawyn was about to follow when he spotted something shining underneath one of the orc's bodies. Reaching down Gawyn picked it up. It was a beautiful sword. As soon as Gawyn touched it, it flared a brilliant red. Gawyn looked on the blade. There was a word engraved on it. ALTASHERE. Not wanting to leave such a beautiful sword with the rotting orc corpses Gawyn sheathed it and hurried to catch up with the rest of his group.  
Gawyn's group was almost back to the base when something terrible happened. Forty orcs appeared from behind trees and drew their weapons. One grabbed Phawn by the throat.  
"We have come for the drow," the orc said in it's language.  
"What would they want with Kaene," Gawyn thought to himself.  
"We will not let you have Kaene," Gawyn replied in shaky orcish.  
"If you don't give us the drow, we will kill this elf," the orc threatened.  
Gawyn was about to say something when Kaene spoke up.  
"I will go with you only if you let the girl go."  
"Very well," the orc agreed.  
Kaene walked over to the orcs and one of them grabbed him. Then orc leader spoke up.   
"I think we shall keep the girl anyway. There is much fun we can have with one of her beauty," the orc said with a wicked smile. "Now kill the rest."  
"No," Gawyn screamed as he drew his sword.   
Gawyn slashed left and right with Altashere and each time the sword slashed into an orc the blade flared red. Gawyn didn't care about the odds. All he could think about was saving Phawn. Suddenly he felt a burning pain in his chest. He looked down to see an orc's blade sticking out from his chest. Ignoring the pain, Gawyn swung Altashere at the unarmed orc, decapitating it. Finally the pain hit him and he passed mercifully into darkness. The last thing he thought of was how he had failed Phawn.  
  
A couple hours later Gawyn awoke to find himself on his bed in the base. He looked down at his chest. There was no wound.  
"It must have been a dream," Gawyn thought to himself.  
"So your finally awake. That wound was a nasty one," said a voice from across the room.  
Gawyn looked over and saw that it was Myrik.  
"If that was real why am I not dead," Gawyn asked.  
"Stepwolf carried you back and I healed you," Myrik replied. "With the help of your team we finally managed to defeat the orc army."  
Suddenly Gawyn remembered Phawn and Kaene.  
"What happened to Kaene and Phawn?"  
"I'm sorry the orcs took them. We couldn't stop them," Myrik replied.   
"Myrik, I know you need me here, but I have to go after them. Kaene is one of my best friends and I really care for Phawn. I think I may even be falling in love with her.   
"I know how much you care for your friends, so I arranged for Menlynus to be saddled and I have provisions stocked for you. Go save your friends."  
"Thanks so much, Myrik," Gawyn said as he headed for the door.  
Within twenty minutes Gawyn was on his horse and following the trail of the orcs who had taken his two best friends. 


	3. Lost Love

The Orcish Wars Part 3  
By  
Justin Asselstine  
  
The character Gawyn Trakand is copyright of Robert Jordan, creator of The Wheel of Time. Places used in this belong to Verant Interactive.  
  
Gawyn looked at the tracks in front of him and realized he was gonna have to make an important decision. He had been following the orcs that had taken his friends, Kaene and Phawn, for two weeks now. The few orcs had met up with one of their patrolling armies and had been traveling together since then, but now the orcs were splitting up. There were tracks going north towards Neriak and tracks going east towards the Ocean of Tears. The problem was that Phawn footprints were going north and Kaene's were going east.   
Gawyn now had to decide which to follow first and possibly let the other one die. He wanted it to be a hard choice, but it wasn't. Kaene was his best friend, but Gawyn couldn't handle the thought of what the orcs might be doing to Phawn, the woman he loved.  
Gawyn hopped back up onto his horse and sped of in the direction that Phawn's tracks led. As he rode he made a promise to himself that he would come back for Kaene as soon as Phawn was safe.  
  
As time went on Gawyn realized that the orcs were taking Phawn to Neriak.   
"How am I ever gonna get into Neriak," Gawyn thought to himself. "That place is filled with Drow that want to chop my head off."  
Gawyn continued to ponder how he would get in as he rode towards Neriak. Finally he arrived at the Nektulos Forest. It would take about a day from the entrance to get to Neriak.   
Gawyn decided to set up camp just inside the forest. He didn't set a fire, fearing a Drow might see it and come investigate. After eating a meal of bread and cheese Gawyn fell into a fitful sleep. Dreams of orcs and Drow torturing Phawn swam through his mind all night. Finally he awoke sweating.   
"I have to hurry," Gawyn thought to himself.  
Gawyn cleaned up his camp. He let his horse, Menlynus, run loose knowing the horse would stay nearby in case Gawyn needed it. Gawyn began to make his way through the forest when he heard a twig snap behind him. He spun around and drew his magic sword, Altashere, from it's sheath. Gawyn let out a huge sigh of relief when he saw who it was. It was a human woman who Gawyn knew well.  
"I was passing through the Commonlands when I ran into Myrik. He said you were going to try and rescue your friends, so I decided you could use my help," the woman said.  
The woman's name was Binkkey and she was a powerful druid and a good friend of Gawyn and Phawn.   
"I am so glad to see you," Gawyn exclaimed. "The orcs took Phawn into Neriak. I was wondering how to get in, but now with your magic you can make us invisible and we can walk right in."  
"It doesn't work that easily. Yes I can make us invisible, but the Drow are magical people and some will be able to see through our invisibility using magic. We must still be very careful," warned Binkkey. "Well if were gonna go we best do it now." Oh yes, I forgot. Here," Binkkey said handing Gawyn a necklace and slipping a similar one around her neck. "These will make it so we can see each other even when we are invisible."  
With a wave of her hand and a muttered word Binkkey disappeared from Gawyn's sight. Gawyn slipped the necklace over his head and Binkkey reappeared.  
"Well at least we now they work," Gawyn said. "Now let's go."  
Gawyn and Binkkey set off through the forest towards Neriak. They walked on in silence for a couple of hours until Binkkey held out a hand to stop Gawyn. She pointed at a group of rocks down the path.  
"That is a stone guardian," she whispered. "It's magical and can see through my spell. If we walk past that it will take human form and attack us."  
The two adventurers snuck off the path and made their way around the pile of rocks. Gawyn thought they had made it by safely, but when he walked around the next tree he bumped into something. Suddenly a huge rock form shot up in front of him.   
"Whoa," Gawyn yelled as he stumbled backwards.  
Gawyn tripped over a tree root and fell backwards and then the stone guardian was before him.  
"Die impudent human," the thing said.  
Gawyn put his hands in front of his face as a sudden burst of flame appeared in front of him. He thought that this was to be the end of him, but nothing happened. Gawyn opened his eyes and looked around. Ten feet away getting up of the ground with a black streak across its chest was the guardian and standing over him was Binkkey with her magic staff in hand.  
Gawyn quickly got to his feet and drew his powerful magic sword Altashere.  
"No mere sword can hurt a stone guardian," Binkkey told him.  
"This is no mere sword," Gawyn replied.  
The stone guardian charged at Gawyn. Gawyn sidestepped out of the way and slashed sideways with Altashere. The sword sliced through the guardian's arm like a hot knife through butter. Gawyn spun around and slashed with Altashere three times. The guardian dropped to the ground in pieces, and then it dissipated into ashes.  
"Wow, that sword is amazing," Binkkey remarked as they started of down the path, invisible once again.  
"I found it on an orc. I took it since it was too beautiful to leave with the orc corpses," Gawyn replied. "Oh yeah. I wanted to thank you for saving me back there."  
"No problem," Binkkey replied. "What are friends for."  
  
The two continued on in silence. Finally they could see the dark gates of Neriak.  
They spotted guards near the entrance. Walking in the shadows to be safe the two friends made there way slowly towards the guards. There was a small area between the guards and the wall that they could slip through. Gawyn conjured a globe of darkness into that spot knowing that is was already dark enough that the guards wouldn't notice the globe. They snuck through the magical darkness and came out inside Neriak. Gawyn took a moment to look around. The city was undeniably beautiful, with tall spires and magically enchanted buildings everywhere. Gawyn decided that someday he would like to return here.   
"I think I'm probably the first humans ever to sneak into this city," Gawyn whispered to Binkkey as they continued through the shadows.  
"Yeah," she agreed. "Do you have any idea where Phawn has been taken."  
"No, but I have an idea," he replied.  
Gawyn walked up to a nearby ogre and dropped his invisibility.  
"Where has the Wood Elf woman been taken," Gawyn asked.  
"Oooh, a human. Me gonna bash em good," the Ogre said.  
"I am a loyal follower of Innoruk," Gawyn lied. "Attack me and you will anger my god. Now tell me where the Wood Elf is."  
With that Gawyn pulled out Altashere and held it to the ogre's throat.   
"Innoruk want's me to kill the girl. Now tell me where she is or be sacrificed to the Prince of Hate."  
"Don't hurt. Me tellem where da elf is," the Ogre replied. "The ambassador told em to take da elf girl to da Maiden's Kiss. Dem gonna have some fun wit dat girl," the Ogre said with a smile.  
"Where is the Maiden's Kiss," Gawyn asked.  
"Dat is in da third gate," the Ogre replied.  
Gawyn resheathed his sword and started down the path, the still invisible Binkkey behind him. As soon as they reached the next side street they slipped into the shadows and Binkkey made Gawyn invisible again.   
Gawyn and Binkkey snuck through the shadows until they reached a gate. On the other side was a waterfall flowing into a huge lake. The two humans waited until someone passed through the gate and they snuck through before the gate could close. They continued through two more gates like that one and then they were in the third gate area. It took only minutes before Gawyn and Binkkey found a huge sign with the name The Maiden's Kiss on it. The stopped just outside the door.  
"How can we open the door and remain invisible" Gawyn thought to himself.  
Gawyn's question was answered for him when the door flew open and a Drow was launched through it. A large Ogre stepped out through the door.  
"Stay out of da Maiden's Kiss. Dem girls don't like you," the Ogre said before heading back in.  
Gawyn and Binkkey ran through the doorway as the door swung shut. Naked Drow women danced on top of the tables.  
"Why would they bring Phawn to this place," Gawyn thought to himself. The it dawned on him. "Oh damn I have to find Phawn."  
Gawyn motioned for Binkkey to follow him downstairs. When he reached the bottom he saw a hall full of doors. Gawyn heard sounds of pleasure from behind the doors. He could not open the doors while invisible or he would alert the whole place to his presence. He was still trying to decide what to do when he heard something different. Coming from behind the door to his left was a different sound. It was a voice not of pleasure, but of fear and anger. Also it wasn't the deep, sultry voice of a Dark Elf female, it was the beautiful, musical voice of a Wood Elf. Gawyn through the door open and charged in followed by Binkkey.  
The sight he saw filled him with uncontrollable rage. there on the bed laid Phawn, her tunic torn and a dagger to her throat. Sitting over top of her was a Drow. Unable to remain calm Gawyn's invisibility dropped.   
"What," the startled Drow asked in disbelief, but that was the last word he uttered.  
A primal scream erupted from Gawyn's mouth.  
"Noooo," he screamed as Altashere flew from it's sheath.  
The sword flared bright red as it slashed once, twice, three times into the Drow's chest. Finally the flare died as the Drow slumped to the ground very dead. Gawyn spun around in time to see Binkkey help Phawn to her feet.  
Phawn ran towards Gawyn and threw her arms around him. Then she kissed him more passionately than she had ever kissed anyone before. Gawyn finally broke off the kiss as he realized where he was.  
"Binkkey, quickly make us invisible," Gawyn said.  
Binkkey handed Phawn one of the see invisible necklaces and spoke a few words. They quickly made their way upstairs, expecting a fight at ever corner, but none came. Apparently screams were quite common coming from the rooms downstairs. Gawyn and the others quickly made their way out of the city.   
Encountering no resistance on the way out of the city they made there way quickly to their horses in the forest, but what they saw there was bad. Binkkey and Gawyn's horses were surrounded by ten Drow soldiers. Knowing that a fight was inevitable, Gawyn drew his sword. Binkkey readied her staff as Gawyn handed her sword, which he had brought with him, to Phawn.   
"Menlynus, attack, Gawyn shouted and the horse burst into action, kicking two of the Drow into the chest easily breaking their ribs.  
Gawyn and Phawn charged towards the Drow as Binkkey through fire towards the enemy. The Drow were completely surprised and they were beaten quickly.   
Gawyn and Phawn hopped onto Menlynus and Binkkey mounted her horse. They rode of towards Freeport and the Lordknights headquarters.  
  
Three weeks later Gawyn sat on a hill with his arms around Phawn. They looked up and watched as the flaring red sun slipped below the Butcherblock Mountains. Then Gawyn looked down at the city before them. Crushbone, home of the orcs. On the other side of the hill sat a huge army gathered from many powerful guilds. There camped the troops of the Lordknights, the Mysterian Knights, the Lords of Law and the EverKnights.   
Tomorrow was to be a big day. Tomorrow they would charge. 


	4. The Final Charge

The Orcish Wars Part 4  
By Justin Assesltine  
  
This story is dedicated to Binkkey who would not leave me alone until I finished it.  
Gawyn Trakand is copyright of Robert Jordan, creator of the Wheel of Time. Places used herein are owned by Verant Inc.  
  
  
Gawyn shoved Phawn behind a pillar and slid in behind her. Seconds later two Orcs walked by the pillar. Gawyn and Phawn slashed and the Orcs dropped to the ground, lifeless.   
"That was close," Gawyn whispered.   
"We have to be more careful," Phawn agreed.  
The two friends were inside of Castle Crush in the Orcish capital of Crushbone. Outside two armies clashed in a huge battle. The forces of good, led by Lord Myrik of the Lordknights and Lord Kong of the Mysterian Knights, were battling the Orc army.   
Gawyn and Phawn had infiltrated the castle in an attempt to kill the Orc leader, Emperor Crush. Without their leader the Orcs would be disorganized and the allied armies might have a chance against the larger Orc army.  
"Stay here," Gawyn whispered as he slid around the corner.  
He walked slowly down the hall towards the next corner. Soundly a Drow walked around the corner. Gawyn's sword was in his hand in the blink of an eye. He was about to slash at the Dark Elf when he saw who it was.  
"Kaene, is that you," Gawyn asked.  
"Gawyn it's great to see you," Kaene said as he hugged his friend.  
Suddenly Gawyn felt a dagger point pressed against his ribs.  
"What the hell. Kaene, what are you doing," Gawyn asked in disbelief.  
"Shut up human. Ambassador D'vinn and Emperor Crush have taught me what my true purpose in life is. To help my kin destroy the weakling humans."  
Gawyn was about to reply when Kaene punched him in the face. Blood poured down Gawyn's face.  
"Enough of your lies human. Guards take him to the dungeon. I will deal with him later."  
The guards dragged Gawyn away towards the dungeon.  
  
Meanwhile Phawn listened in horror as Kaene turned on his best friend.  
"Gawyn saved me when the Drow captured me. It's time to return the favour," Phawn thought to herself.  
Phawn began sneaking down the hall. She continued on down the halls quietly in search of the dungeons.  
  
A whip slashed against Gawyn's back, but he refused to scream.  
"Kaene, why are you doing this," Gawyn asked.  
"I must obey my master Gawyn, you fool, your pitiful attacks are no match for our forces. The Everknights have fallen to our forces when they saw how powerful we are they decided to join our cause and help us. We are now readying our forces for the final assault on your foolish friends. Help us Gawyn, aid our cause and you will be rewarded with the most powerful weapons and magic and be the most respected of all the Orc and Drows. This is why I came to find you?"  
"I will never join you. Kaene, why are you really doing this? Remember that time we were walking through the woods and that Kodiak had attacked you. You were almost dead and only my magic saved you. Remember at Myrik's birthday party when you and I had a little too much ale and we started hitting on Flasarya. I thought Step was gonna kill us. Why would you give this all up? Your true friends care for you. Come back, rejoin us."   
Gawyn could see by the look on Kaene's face that he was thinking the matter over.  
"Come on Kaene," Gawyn thought, "you must help us."  
Kaene was about to say something, but Gawyn never found out what. A huge Orc opened the door.  
"Sir Kaene, Emperor Crush requests that you go to the throne room and meet with him. I am to continue with his torture."  
"Very well. Goodbye Gawyn," Kaene said as he made his way out of the room.  
"Heheh now we shall see what your breaking point is human," the Orc said as he grabbed a spiked chain of the wall.  
The Orc walked towards Gawyn with a wicked smile on it's face. Suddenly it stumbled forward. It fell to the ground, and behind it stood Phawn.  
"I thought it was my turn to save you," Phawn said with a smile.   
  
Meanwhile, Kaene walked down the halls towards the throne room of the castle. Events played over and over in his mind. The time he had spent with Gawyn and the rest of the Lordknights. Doubts began to appear in his mind. Had Ambassador D'vinn been the one who had really lied to him. Now that he thought about it in all the time he had spent with his human and elvish friends, he had never seen any of the unspeakable acts that D'vinn had told him of being committed.   
As he finally arrived outside the throne room, he heard voices coming from inside. Kaene snuck up next to the door and put his ear close to door.  
"Ambassador, I want to thank you," said the deep voice of Emperor Crush. "The way you tricked Kaene into thinking that his friends were really his enemies was brilliant. Your fine job has rewarded us with one of the best fighters in our army."  
"It was easy m'lord," replied the voice of Ambassador D'vinn.   
The voices ceased as they heard the sound of the door opening. Kaene walked through into the room, now knowing the truth and knowing what he must do.  
"Ah there you are Kaene. I want you to lead a final attack to defeat the allied armies. You will leave immediately."  
"Yes Emperor," Kaene said as he took a few steps towards Crush.   
"Well," glared Crush, his dark menacing eyes pierced through Kaene like a knife through butter. "Shouldn't you be off now? I said immediately."  
With movement to fast to be seen Kaene's sword flew from it's sheath to find itself embedded in Crush's chest. Just as quickly the sword flew backwards to deflect D'vinn's dagger which was flying at his back.  
"Guards, Guards. The Emperor is injured."  
Guards poured into the room and surrounded Kaene, but this didn't matter to Kaene. If his death was necessary for his friends to succeed, so be it. His sword slashed left and right parrying the slashes of D'vinn's dagger.   
"Guards, get him," D'vinn shouted as he was pushed back by Kaene's blade.  
The guards started to move towards Kaene, when a sword pierced through one of their backs. Gawyn's sword slashed through another Orc as Phawn blocked a flying sword with her blade. Blades flashed and the ringing of metal on metal filled the air as Gawyn, Phawn and Kaene fought to stop the Orcs. A sword flew at Phawn only to be intercepted by Gawyn's sword. Phawn slashed out and decapitated the Orc that had swung at her.  
Kaene blocked stab after stab from D'vinn as he was pushed back. They moved back, coming ever closer to the window. finally seeing his chance D'vinn lunged at Kaene. Kaene dropped down faster than Gawyn thought possible. D'vinn tried to stop, but it was too late. Kaene kicked upwards and D'vinn was lifted into the air. The evil Drow flew through the window and fell screaming to his bloody death on the rocks over 200 feet below.  
Seeing their leaders dead, the remaining Orcs dropped their weapons and ran out the doors. Gawyn checked the pulse off Emperor Crush and found that he was very dead. Reaching into his pocket Gawyn pulled out two pieces of cloth and ran up the stairs to the roof.  
  
Meanwhile outside Myrik and Stepwolf stood back to back, parrying blow after blow. The battle was going badly. Even with the combined might of the Lordknights, Lord of Laws, the Mysterian Knights, and the EverKnights (who had never really joined the orcs), the allies were greatly outnumbered. Another blade flew at Myrik's head and was intercepted by Stepwolf's sword.   
"If something doesn't happen soon, we're not gonna win," Stepwolf said as he parried another blow and slashed back severing an Orc's wrist.  
Suddenly a sound of disbelief rolled out through the Orc troops. Myrik looked up towards Castle Crush in time to see the flag of Crush disappear onto the roof. Suddenly two more flags raised up. One was a black flag with a red rim bearing the symbol of a fist holding a golden sword.  
"That's the symbol of the Asha'Man company," Myrik said as he watched Gawyn's company flag raise up the flag pole.   
The second flag was a blue flag bearing the symbols of the four allied guilds, one in each corner. Realizing that now was their chance Lord Kong of the Mysterian Knights led his troops against a group of Orcs. The Orcs, now demoralized, fell quickly under the blades of Lord Kong's troops. Seeing this the allies smashed into the Orc forces with renewed energy.  
After only a minute of this pounding the Orcs realized they couldn't win. The current Orc leader gave his unconditional surrender.  
  
Later that day there was party to celebrate their win over the Orc armies. Everyone gathered together to watch as awards and commendations were handed out. Myrik stood at the top of stage and called out, "Gawyn, Phawn and Kaene, thanks to your fearless efforts in stopping Emperor Crush and Ambassador D'vinn I would like to promote you all from Squires to full Knights."  
Myrik proceeded to officially knight them, then Gawyn took the stage.  
"Together we have defeated the huge Orc army and that proves that we can do anything. I ask you now to keep this alliance together and to not stop just with the Orcs. What about the Goblins, the armies of undead, the Evil Eyes and most importantly the Drow. We cannot stop here I say we continue on and fight until Norrath is cleansed of evil or we are all dead. I ask you now to join us in making Norrath a safe place for our future generations to live."  
Thundering applause and cheering roared out from the hundreds of people listening. Once the noise had quieted down Gawyn spoke again.   
"There is one last thing I must do before I am finished. Phawn come up here."  
Phawn climbed up onto the stage. Gawyn stepped before her and kneeled on one knee.   
"We have been through many things together and survived. Ever since I first saw you I knew you were the woman for me. I loved you from the first moment I laid eyes on you. I ask you now something important. Phawn, will you marry me?"  
Phawn looked into Gawyn's eyes. Then a smile lit her face. "Yes, Gawyn I will," she said. The most important words of Gawyn's life.  
Gawyn grabbed Phawn and kissed her. She would remember that kiss for the rest of her life.  
The cheers and clapping started again and when it finally quieted down Gawyn spoke once again.  
"Well, it looks like there's gonna be another party then," Gawyn shouted with a mischievous smile on his face.  
The cheering started again, louder than before if that was possible.  
Gawyn knew now that no matter what happened as long as the woman he loved was by his side, he would never be defeated. Gawyn grabbed Phawn again and kissed her. then he gazed up to the stars and thought of adventures to come and how Phawn would remain by his side through all of them.  



End file.
